bear up
B2 neutral intransitive
In simple words
To stay strong and not give up, even when things are very difficult or sad.
Literal meaning: To bear (carry) oneself upward — to hold oneself up despite the weight of hardship.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To remain emotionally strong, calm, or resilient when facing hardship, grief, or difficulty.
"Despite losing her job and her father in the same month, she bore up remarkably well."
2 B1 neutral
To physically support weight; to hold something up. (Less common, more literal)
"The old beams were barely bearing up under the weight of the new roof."
Usage notes
Often used as an encouragement ('Bear up!') or as a description of someone's emotional state ('She's bearing up well'). Slightly formal; more common in British English than American. Conveys admiration for resilience.
Commonly used with
well remarkably stoically grief loss pressure
Forms
Base
bear up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bears up
he/she/it
Past simple
bore up
yesterday
Past participle
born/borne up
have + pp
-ing form
bearing up
continuous
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